Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-03-12
wITCHCRAFT.
New York Home Journal.

the most struggling of Oxfordshire
villages well-mounted young gentle
man of somewhat distinguished APP
pearance. Calling to the ostler he
gave him particular instructions as to
the treatment of his horse, and order
ing the best bed and supper the land
lord could provide, retired for time
to his room, desiring to be called
when the meal was ready.
In about an hour the supper was
on the table and the stranger sat down
to it. He had evidently come from
a distance-the state of his horse
showed that-and the way he did
justice to the landlady's cookery
proved that he must have been re-
markably hungry. The good woman
was in truth rather alarmed at the
rapidity with which he disposed of
what she set before him.
He was well-built young fellow,
of about eighteen or nineteen, with
broad brow and strangely piercing
eyes that seemed to follow her about
the room, and look through her to
the wall each time she caught their
gaze. For about half an hour he was
silent-too busy, in fact, to speak
but he was pleasant and likeable;
and when she left him to himself, the
dame had taken rather a fancy to
him.
Had she known how he was Situat-
ed her thoughts might have gone an
other road. For the distinguished
stranger was a gentleman commoner
of Oriel, who, with his choice COM
panions, had been trying little anna
teur highway robbery, and falling to
find victim had come on here alone
without penny in his pocket, trust
ing to what might turn up to furnish
him with the means of paying his
bill.
AS soon as he was alone he left the
table and took his chair to the fire.
He began to think over his position.
His thoughts were not encouraging.
He had been living what was wild
college life even in those wild days.
His father was a bencher of Gray's
Inn, and country magnate of infu-
ence, was an eccentric man of strong
will, never known to 60 back on his
word and in his last letter had Civ.
en- the son clearly to understand that
his patience was exhausted. AS tC
money he had sent him enough fol-
some time; and as to "accompts," he
would be responsible for none "aftel
the date of this my last letter, unless
We amend" He had not amended
he had gone further and failed.
No wonder then that his medita
tons were unsatisfactory. He knew
that he was not fool-his experience
with his fellow students had taught
him that-and fortunately on this oc
casion his self-conceit came to hi
rescue.
"NIy father and mother" he sale
to himself-at least he said year,
afterWard that he said to himself, fo
he was not an unknown man-"mN
father and mother are better gifteC
than those they meet, and / am yer!
like them. | have the old man
voice and my mothers eyes. L Sc,
things as quickly as they do and minC
them as well. And here have l beer
for two years with the chance of get
ting what would give me living j
the old people were to throw me over
and what have l done?"
What had he done, indeed? IL
had acquired a thin coat of universit,
varnish.
This is not a work of imagination
and we will not enlarge on the stu
dents recognition of his folly. Th
conclusion he came to was the ordin
airy one, quite the ordinary one
"Let me out of this troublea vii
never get into another"
But how was he to get out of thi
trouble? He could not help likin
the cherry, brisk little woman h
had come-disguise as he might
swindle. He had eaten his supper
that did not trouble him so much, fC
it was obvious that if he was to b
honest he must live. But how wa
he to pay for'it? The horse was ne
his; to leave it would be to rob Pete
to pay Paul. He was in the sam
fix with his clothes. The idea of de
ing little wrong to do a great RICH
on the Bassanio principle, occurre
to him, but was rejected.
"No; I'll be honest, and rll
thorough he said, and, resolvin
to be very good and very superior t